Food Water Reduction

The food system currently contains ~45% water, which would need to be reduced to ~30% to provide mass savings benefit from development of a more efficient water recycling system. This project will determine feasibility of reducing water content to 30% by reformulating and processing nearly half of the thermostabilized foods as freeze-dried foods and evaluating them through shelf life.

The water content of the food system has a direct impact on determining an efficient level of water system closure in the Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) on a spaceflight mission. The reduction of launched food water content is required to realize mass savings from increased oxygen recovery. Both food water content reduction and increased oxygen recovery are needed for Mars transit missions and may be enhancing for other exploration missions. A review was completed in 2021 in which the water content of the current International Space Station (ISS) food system was determined and a strategy was outlined to determine the feasibility of reducing the food system water content to the required 30% to support ECLSS efficiencies.

This project will determine feasibility of achieving significant mass savings from the food system on missions where water is recycled, which will help enable exploration missions.

This is early/mid-stage (TRL 2) — the most realistic path in is NASA SBIR/STTR, which funds small businesses and research institutions to develop technology aligned with NASA's needs (equity-free, phased funding). Check whether a current SBIR/STTR solicitation topic overlaps with this project's technology area, or contact the project directly (above) to ask.

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